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Increasing your efficiency means knowing what to prioritize and when to say "no." It's much easier said than done. We've asked top career experts, entrepreneurs and CEOs for their best advice on how to be more productive. Here's what they said:

Know Exactly What You Want

"Ask yourself; Where do I want to be in a year? In six months? At the end of today? Use your response to this question to prioritize the items on your daily to-do list, putting items that get you closer to your goals at the top of the list. This will help you avoid distractions, and empower you to say no to projects that don't further your work and life goals."

"STOP multi-tasking entirely. An unfocused person does a million things poorly but he who focuses, has success. Make a list of only the top three priorities you'll complete in a day. Then focus ruthlessly on those priorities and put all other tasks to the wayside until you've finished those tasks. That way the most important things get done first and things like Facebook and Twitter don't beckon."

"Keep a clean and neat work environment that is free from distractions. Log off AIM, Skype, and Facebook and concentrate on the tasks at hand. Let your friends and family know to only contact you during work hours in case of emergency. Removing clutter and distractions will provide an optimal work environment which will turn out your best work."

"The Pomodoro Technique suggests you work diligently for 25 minutes and then take a five minute break. Every four cycles you complete, you can take a longer break. No matter what method you use, being the most efficient and effective as possible usually comes from being well rested and taking needed breaks throughout the day."

"I have used apps like Remember The Milk, Producteev and Dropbox. Dropbox is great for working efficiently with other clients/editors so that you do not have to individually email large files. Remember the Milk and Producteev help you organize your tasks. And there's always the old fashioned way; Buy a "To Do" pad and check off items one by one as you complete them -- I love this one! "

"Do not partially complete a project and set it aside. The likelihood is you'll forget about it and never complete it, wasting all the time and effort you've already put into it. While economists would call that a sunk cost, entrepreneurs should recognize that as one of the biggest inefficiencies, and make an effort to finish everything they start."

"I live by my Google Calendar to be efficient with meetings and deadlines, but I also keep a planner book that gives me space to write daily to-do lists for each day of the week. For me, it's so gratifying to cross something off the list and see in a glance what can be pushed back and what is important on that day."

"Brian Tracy wrote a book called "Eat That Frog" about tackling your most important task first -- no matter how much you're resisting it. You might also identify your top three priorities each day -- your top three tasks, emails to respond to, or people to contact. Reserve the first hour of the day for these "big frogs" and you'll feel more productive and less burdened for the rest of the day."

"Start your day off with a set hour dedicated to focusing on your goals, fitness and why you are amazing. This includes 5-10 minutes of yoga when you first jump out of bed, followed by running or a gym workout to get your blood pumping. While you're doing this you can go through a visualization of where you want you and your business to be as if it's happening now. Do not check your emails first."

"Eating healthy can, and will, change your entire day. From increased energy to better moods, a nutritious diet can do wonders in boosting your productivity. I'm not advocating a radical diet, but rather eating foods that help your mind and body function best. Remember, food is like fuel. If you had a BMW, you would feed it premium gas. The same should go for our bodies."

"Here are my top 10 efficiency tips, in rapid fire: Consume far less than you create; set boundaries of time and space within which to work; ignore critics; nuke distractions; say "no;" take power naps (20 min each); live healthy (nutrition, fitness, wellness); collaborate with others on projects; eliminate everything but the most essential tasks and No. 10; reward yourself for your progress."

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to unemployment and underemployment and provides entrepreneurs with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of their business’s development and growth.